Wednesday, February 23, 2011

No old fool am I

There’s no fool like an old fool. According to phrases.org.uk this proverb already existed in 1546 when it was included in A Dialogue of Proverbs as ‘But there is no foole to the olde foole, folke saie’ [1]. Methinks it’s as true today as it was in 1546. Or truer. In yesterday’s post I wrote that the robots in Surrogates ‘look life-like in a smoothed-out faux manner, à la Sam Newman, Paul Hogan and Cher’. Then – chance or not, who knows – in the Age yesterday was an article about a recent increase in cosmetic surgery among men [2]. And which men are mentioned? Sam Newman and Paul Hogan (pictured at age 69). (And Shane Warne, but only for teeth whitening though he’s thought to have had botox and laser dermabrasion.) It says men are increasingly turning to cosmetic surgery ‘to stave off the signs of ageing’. I think cosmetically surgified men look stupid – not younger. And I reckon it’s no accident that though Newman, Hogan and Warne are public figures, there’s something immature and, yes, adolescent about them. As if they haven’t grown into compassionate and reflective adults. Given this, it’s no surprise that as their appearance ages, they need to return it to its juvenile form. Boys will be boys. Me? I think I look my age. And I’m proud of that. I’ve no wish to look younger. I wear my face as a badge of honour. Flight attendants and shop assistants now call me ‘sir’. I like that. No old fool am I. Ho hum.

I am 64 years old, a sheep and goat farmer, and a consultant physician. Farmdoc's Blog is a reflective narrative of my past life; my present life as a farmer, doctor, relative and friend; and my life as a citizen of Mole Creek, Tasmania, Australia and Planet Earth.